Conveyance Inspection Kit

ABSTRACT

An inspection kit including a portable container adapted to be moved by a user; user protection equipment adapted to be stored in the container; and conveyance inspection equipment adapted to be stored in the container with the user protection equipment. The user protection equipment includes safety equipment adapted to be worn by a user to protect the user. The conveyance inspection equipment includes equipment adapted to be used by the user to inspect an article transport apparatus. The portable container is configured to house both the user protection equipment and the conveyance inspection equipment for transport by a user as a unitary assembly to the apparatus for inspection.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority on provisional application No. 61/540,805 filed Sep. 29, 2011 and provisional application No. 61/546,179 filed Oct. 12, 2011 which are hereby incorporated by reference in their entireties.

BACKGROUND

1. Technical Field

The exemplary and non-limiting embodiments of the invention relate generally to a conveyance inspection kit and, more particularly, to a kit which can be used with supply chain security inspection.

2. Brief Description of Prior Developments

Conveyances, such as shipping containers and tractor trailer trucks for example, are inspected when being transported. Inspections can include adherence to government regulations for inspection.

SUMMARY

The following summary is merely intended to be exemplary. The summary is not intended to limit the scope of the claims.

In accordance with one aspect, an inspection kit is provided including a portable container adapted to be moved by a user; user protection equipment adapted to be stored in the container; and conveyance inspection equipment adapted to be stored in the container with the user protection equipment. The user protection equipment includes safety equipment adapted to be worn by a user to protect the user. The conveyance inspection equipment includes equipment adapted to be used by the user to inspect an article transport apparatus. The portable container is configured to house both the user protection equipment and the conveyance inspection equipment for transport by a user as a unitary assembly to the apparatus for inspection.

In accordance with another aspect, a method comprises transporting an inspection kit to an article transport apparatus for inspection, where the inspection kit comprises user protection equipment, conveyance inspection equipment and a portable container housing both the user protection equipment and the conveyance inspection equipment; removing the user protection equipment from the container, and a user putting on at least some of the user protection equipment; removing the conveyance inspection equipment from the container and inspecting the article transport apparatus by the user with the conveyance inspection equipment. The container holds both the user protection equipment and the conveyance inspection equipment for transport as a unitary assembly to the article transport apparatus for inspection.

In accordance with another aspect, a method comprises providing a portable container adapted to be moved by a user; inserting user protection equipment into the container, where the user protection equipment comprises safety equipment to protect a user; and inserting conveyance inspection equipment into the container, where the conveyance inspection equipment comprises equipment for the user to inspect an apparatus used to transport articles. The portable container is configured to house both the user protection equipment and the conveyance inspection equipment for transport by the user as a unitary assembly to the apparatus for inspection.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The foregoing aspects and other features are explained in the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a kit comprising an example embodiment;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of components of the kit shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating an inspection sheet which is part of the guide shown in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating another type of inspection sheet as part of the kit;

FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram illustrating a portable hand-held electronic device to be provided as part of the kit;

FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating some steps of an example method; and

FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating some steps of an example method.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

Referring to FIG. 1, there a schematic diagram of a kit 100 incorporating features of an example embodiment. Although the features will be described with reference to the example embodiments shown in the drawings, it should be understood that features can be embodied in many alternate forms of embodiments. In addition, any suitable size, shape or type of elements or materials could be used.

The kit 100 generally comprises a container 1, user protection equipment 200, and conveyance inspection equipment 300. Referring also to FIG. 2, in this example, the user protection equipment 200 comprises work gloves 9, hard hats 10, safety glasses 11, reflective safety vests 12, and traffic safety cones 15. In this example the inspection equipment 300 comprises a camera kit 2, inspection mirrors 3, 4, hammer 5, flashlights 6, tape measure 7 and digital laser measure 8. The container 1 is sized and shaped to store and transport the user protection equipment 200 and the inspection equipment 300.

In the example shown the container 1 is a duffle bag type of container having wheels 102 at one end and handles 110 at the opposite end to allow a user to wheel the entire kit 100 to a desired location. The bag has at least one zipper to open to the interior for inserting and removing the equipment. Holes 108 may be provided through the bag 1 for handle ends of the inspection mirrors 3, 4 to project out of the bag. However, in alternate embodiments a different type of container could be provided.

The user protection equipment 200 in this example has enough equipment for two users, namely, two pair of the work gloves 9, two of the hard hats 10, two of the safety glasses 11 and two of the reflective safety vests 12. However, in an alternate embodiment the kit might have only enough user protection equipment for one user, or user protection equipment for three or more users. The traffic safety cones 15 are sized and shaped to be nested one within the other for compact storage in the container 1. In alternate embodiments additional user protection equipment could be provided, or less than all the user protection equipment described above could be provided with the kit.

The inspection equipment 300 could include additional inspection equipment or less than all the inspection equipment described above. The camera kit 2 generally comprises a digital camera, power and data cords, a camera case (such as a soft case) and a removable memory card, such as a 4 GB memory card for example. The inspection mirrors 3, 4 each comprise an elongate handle 104 and a mirrored end 106. The first inspection mirror 3 has a mirrored end 106 with a flat lens. The second inspection mirror 4 has a mirrored end 106 with a concave lens. The handles 104 are preferably telescopic. The hammer 5 in this example is a ball pen hammer. However, any suitable type of hammer could be provided. The flashlights 6 in this example are conventional battery operated hand flashlights. However, any suitable flashlights could be provided. The tape measure 7 in this example is a 25 inch metal tape measure. However, any suitable tape measure could be provided. The digital laser measure 8 is adapted to measure distance by use of a laser light.

In addition to the user protection equipment and the inspection equipment, the kit 100 also comprises a guide 13 and an inventory checklist 14. The guide 13 in this example is a C-TPAT (Customs-Trade Partnership Against Terrorism) Supply Chain Training Guide written in both English and Spanish. However, in alternate embodiments any suitable type of written inspection guide could be provided. For container security for example, C-TPAT calls for Container Inspection. Procedures must be in place to verify the physical integrity of the container structure prior to stuffing, to include the reliability of the locking mechanisms of the doors. A seven-point inspection process is recommended for all containers including:

-   -   Front wall     -   Left side     -   Right side     -   Ceiling/Roof     -   Inside/Outside doors     -   Outside/Undercarriage

The guide 13 provides written instructions to guide a user to perform a seven-point inspection process of a shipping container including Front wall, Left side, Right side, Ceiling/Roof, Inside/Outside doors, and Outside/Undercarriage. Thus, the kit 100 provides the equipment and written guide for at least one person to conduct such an inspection before a shipping container is stuffed/packed. The kit 100 can also be used for at least one person to conduct an inspection after a shipping container is stuffed/packed.

The kit 100 might also be provided with a supply of inspection sheets such as the example shown in FIG. 3. The information in the inspection sheet might be provided as part of the information in the guide 13. As can be seen, the inspection sheet provides a picture of a container, indication of the 7 areas to be examined, and indication of other inspection information to be indicated by the inspector. This inspection sheet could be provided in electronic form, such as on a tablet computer to be electronically filled-in by the inspector and electronically sent by the inspector to a database or another location. The electronically input information could also be used to generate a tag which is attached to the container.

Features of an example embodiment could be provided in a kit comprising user protection equipment comprising a hard hat, gloves, a reflective safety vest, safety glasses and traffic safety cones; conveyance inspection equipment comprising a camera, a distance measuring device, a mirror, a flashlight and a hammer; and a container which is sized and shaped to store and transport the user protection equipment and the inspection equipment with the container, where the container is configured to be manually moved by a user.

The Conveyance Inspection Kit 100 could also be used for conducting a vehicle inspection, such as a C-TPAT 17 Point Inspections (for tractor and trailer) for example. An example of an inspection sheet for a 17 Point Tractor And Trailer Inspection is shown in FIG. 4. A supply of these inspection sheets could be provided with the kit 100.

It is important to note information from these inspections; as integrity procedures must be maintained to protect against the introduction of unauthorized personnel and material. Access controls prevent unauthorized entry to trucks, trailers and facilities, maintain control of employees and visitors, and protect company assets.

The use of the kit 100 for the vehicle inspection application addresses the requirements that procedures must be in place to verify the physical integrity of tractor, trailer and container structures prior to stuffing and reliability of locking mechanisms of the doors.

A 7-Point inspection process is recommended for all containers. A 17-Point inspection is required for all Tractor and Trailers.

The processes must be in writing and verifiable. This Inspection Kit 100 provides the means to verify both processes.

Referring also to FIG. 5, rather than using the sheets shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the kit may comprise a portable hand-held electronic device 400 to be used for the same purpose as the sheets, but electronically and perhaps with electronic communication to another device 500, such as by wireless link 550 for example. In this example the device 400 comprises a touch screen display 402, a controller 404 including a processor, a memory and software, a communications member 408 such as a radio frequency transmitter and a receiver, and a battery 410.

The controller 404 may be configured to allow the user to input data into fields similar to the fields of the forms shown in FIGS. 3 and 4. The input data may then be transmitted wirelessly to the other device 500, such as a main server. The apparatus 400 may comprise the user manual to be displayed on the display to guide the user in inspecting the conveyance (such as a cargo container or tractor trailer).

In one type of example, an inspection kit 100 may be provided comprising a portable container 1 adapted to be moved by a user; user protection equipment 200 adapted to be stored in the container, where the user protection equipment comprises safety equipment adapted to be worn by a user to protect the user; and conveyance inspection equipment 300 adapted to be stored in the container with the user protection equipment, where the conveyance inspection equipment comprises equipment adapted to be used by the user to inspect an article transport apparatus. The portable container may be configured to house both the user protection equipment and the conveyance inspection equipment for transport by a user as a unitary assembly to the apparatus for inspection.

The portable container may comprise carry handles adapted to allow the user to hand carry the inspection kit. The portable container may comprise wheels and a carry handle which are configured to allow the user to roll the inspection kit by hand along ground. The user protection equipment may comprise work gloves, a hard hat, safety eyeglasses, and a reflective safety vest. The user protection equipment may further comprise traffic safety cones. The conveyance inspection equipment may comprise a camera, a distance measuring device, a mirror, a flashlight and a hammer. The conveyance inspection equipment may comprise a camera, a distance measuring device, a mirror and a flashlight. The inspection kit may further comprise a user guide comprising instructions regarding how to inspect the article transport apparatus with the conveyance inspection equipment to fulfill a Customs-Trade Partnership Against Terrorism (C-TPAT) Supply Chain Training Guide or a Customs-Trade Partnership Against Terrorism (C-TPAT) 17 Point Inspection. The inspection kit may further comprise a supply of inspection sheets, where the sheets comprise a picture of the article transport apparatus, indication of the areas of the article transport apparatus to be examined, and indication of other inspection information to be indicated by the user. The inspection kit may further comprise an electronic input device configured to allow the user to input information regarding inspection of areas of the article transport apparatus examined. The electronic input device may be configured wirelessly transmit the input information to another device.

Referring also to FIG. 6, an example method may comprise transporting an inspection kit to an article transport apparatus for inspection (such as a cargo container or tractor trailer for example) as illustrated by block 600, where the inspection kit comprises user protection equipment, conveyance inspection equipment and a portable container housing both the user protection equipment and the conveyance inspection equipment; removing the user protection equipment from the container, and a user putting on at least some of the user protection equipment as illustrated by block 602; removing the conveyance inspection equipment from the container and inspecting the article transport apparatus by the user with the conveyance inspection equipment as illustrated by block 604, where the container holds both the user protection equipment and the conveyance inspection equipment for transport as a unitary assembly to the article transport apparatus for inspection.

The inspection kit may comprise the user hand carrying the inspection kit at least a portion of a distance to the article transport apparatus. The inspection kit may comprise the user rolling the inspection kit on ground by wheels of the portable container while pulling on a handle of the portable container at least a portion of a distance to the article transport apparatus. The method may further comprise the user removing a user guide from the inspection kit and using the user guide, where the user guide comprises instructions regarding how to inspect the article transport apparatus with the conveyance inspection equipment to fulfill a Customs-Trade Partnership Against Terrorism (C-TPAT) inspection requirement. The method may further comprise removing an inspection sheet from the inspection kit or an electronic inspection recording device from the inspection kit, and using the inspection sheet or the electronic inspection recording device to record inspection by the use of the article transport apparatus with the conveyance inspection equipment.

Referring also to FIG. 7, another example method may comprise providing a portable container adapted to be moved by a user as illustrated by block 700; inserting user protection equipment into the container as illustrated by block 702, where the user protection equipment comprises safety equipment to protect a user; and inserting conveyance inspection equipment into the container as illustrated by block 704, where the conveyance inspection equipment comprises equipment for the user to inspect an apparatus used to transport articles, where the portable container is configured to house both the user protection equipment and the conveyance inspection equipment for transport by the user as a unitary assembly to the apparatus for inspection.

The method may further comprise inserting a supply of inspection sheets in the portable container, where the sheets comprise a picture of the article transport apparatus, and indication of the areas of the article transport apparatus to be examined. Inserting the user protection equipment may comprise inserting work gloves, a hard hat, safety eyeglasses, and a reflective safety vest into the portable container. Inserting the conveyance inspection equipment may comprise inserting a camera, a distance measuring device, a mirror and a flashlight into the portable container.

It should be understood that the foregoing description is only illustrative. Various alternatives and modifications can be devised by those skilled in the art. For example, features recited in the various dependent claims could be combined with each other in any suitable combination(s). In addition, features from different embodiments described above could be selectively combined into a new embodiment. Accordingly, the description is intended to embrace all such alternatives, modifications and variances which fall within the scope of the appended claims. 

What is claimed is:
 1. An inspection kit comprising: a portable container adapted to be moved by a user; user protection equipment adapted to be stored in the container, where the user protection equipment comprises safety equipment adapted to be worn by a user to protect the user; and conveyance inspection equipment adapted to be stored in the container with the user protection equipment, where the conveyance inspection equipment comprises equipment adapted to be used by the user to inspect an article transport apparatus, where the portable container is configured to house both the user protection equipment and the conveyance inspection equipment for transport by a user as a unitary assembly to the apparatus for inspection.
 2. An inspection kit as claimed in claim 1 where the portable container comprises carry handles adapted to allow the user to hand carry the inspection kit.
 3. An inspection kit as claimed in claim 1 where the portable container comprises wheels and a carry handle which are configured to allow the user to roll the inspection kit by hand along ground.
 4. An inspection kit as claimed in claim 1 where the user protection equipment comprises work gloves, a hard hat, safety eyeglasses, and a reflective safety vest.
 5. An inspection kit as claimed in claim 4 where the user protection equipment further comprises traffic safety cones.
 6. An inspection kit as claimed in claim 5 where the conveyance inspection equipment comprises a camera, a distance measuring device, a mirror, a flashlight and a hammer.
 7. An inspection kit as claimed in claim 1 where the conveyance inspection equipment comprises a camera, a distance measuring device, a mirror and a flashlight.
 8. An inspection kit as claimed in claim 1 further comprising a user guide comprising instructions regarding how to inspect the article transport apparatus with the conveyance inspection equipment to fulfill a Customs-Trade Partnership Against Terrorism (C-TPAT) Supply Chain Training Guide or a Customs-Trade Partnership Against Terrorism (C-TPAT) 17 Point Inspection.
 9. An inspection kit as claimed in claim 1 further comprising a supply of inspection sheets, where the sheets comprise a picture of the article transport apparatus, indication of the areas of the article transport apparatus to be examined, and indication of other inspection information to be indicated by the user.
 10. An inspection kit as claimed in claim 1 further comprising an electronic input device configured to allow the user to input information regarding inspection of areas of the article transport apparatus examined.
 11. An inspection kit as claimed in claim 1 where the electronic input device is configured wirelessly transmit the input information to another device.
 12. A method comprising: transporting an inspection kit to an article transport apparatus for inspection, where the inspection kit comprises user protection equipment, conveyance inspection equipment and a portable container housing both the user protection equipment and the conveyance inspection equipment; removing the user protection equipment from the container, and a user putting on at least some of the user protection equipment; removing the conveyance inspection equipment from the container and inspecting the article transport apparatus by the user with the conveyance inspection equipment, where the container holds both the user protection equipment and the conveyance inspection equipment for transport as a unitary assembly to the article transport apparatus for inspection.
 13. A method as in claim 12 where transporting the inspection kit comprises the user hand carrying the inspection kit at least a portion of a distance to the article transport apparatus.
 14. A method as in claim 12 where transporting the inspection kit comprises the user rolling the inspection kit on ground by wheels of the portable container while pulling on a handle of the portable container at least a portion of a distance to the article transport apparatus.
 15. A method as in claim 12 further comprising the user removing a user guide from the inspection kit and using the user guide, where the user guide comprises instructions regarding how to inspect the article transport apparatus with the conveyance inspection equipment to fulfill a Customs-Trade Partnership Against Terrorism (C-TPAT) inspection requirement.
 16. A method as in claim 12 further comprising removing an inspection sheet from the inspection kit or an electronic inspection recording device from the inspection kit, and using the inspection sheet or the electronic inspection recording device to record inspection by the use of the article transport apparatus with the conveyance inspection equipment.
 17. A method comprising: providing a portable container adapted to be moved by a user; inserting user protection equipment into the container, where the user protection equipment comprises safety equipment to protect a user; and inserting conveyance inspection equipment into the container, where the conveyance inspection equipment comprises equipment for the user to inspect an apparatus used to transport articles, where the portable container is configured to house both the user protection equipment and the conveyance inspection equipment for transport by the user as a unitary assembly to the apparatus for inspection.
 18. A method as in claim 17 further comprising inserting a supply of inspection sheets in the portable container, where the sheets comprise a picture of the article transport apparatus, and indication of the areas of the article transport apparatus to be examined.
 19. A method as in claim 17 where inserting the user protection equipment comprises inserting work gloves, a hard hat, safety eyeglasses, and a reflective safety vest into the portable container.
 20. A method as in claim 17 where inserting the conveyance inspection equipment comprises inserting a camera, a distance measuring device, a mirror and a flashlight into the portable container. 